Can This "Jerk" Spot Credit Card Thieves Better Than Atlanta Retail Stores?

In recent years, many consumers have gotten smarter about protecting themselves from credit card theft, but it seems that retailers have gone backwards in the most common sense safeguards.

A CBS News affiliate in Atlanta decided to find out just how easy it would be to borrow a co-worker’s credit card and use it to buy fast food, a saw kit, and groceries at stores around the city. They made it more difficult by taking a Bank of America credit card which includes a picture ID on the front of the card, thinking that the picture ID on the card would make it harder for them to use the card.

Unfortunately, they were wrong. They bought groceries at Target, a saw kit at Home Depot, lunch at La Parrilla restaurant, and fast food at Wendy’s without even so much as a question. The card owner is a Caucasian male, and throughout the day, it was used by a Caucasian woman and an African-American man, despite the picture ID directly on the card.

I for one cannot believe the incompetence of these folks. The moronic Navin R. Johnson from Steve Martin’s classic comedy The Jerk was better at spotting credit card phonies than any of the folks working retail that day. At least he looked at the name on the credit card and thought, “Well, none of the thugs in this car look like Mrs. Nussbaum. Maybe they are credit card thieves.” My favorite moment of the news story was when reporter Renee Starzyk asked the Wendy’s manager if they check ID for credit cards, and when he said no, she replied, “Not even one with a picture on it?”

Credit card theft can happen to anyone, and it is scary how easy it is to use someone else’s credit card to rack up all kinds of purchases. Be diligent, and keep a handle on your credit cards and your accounts.

To learn more about responsible credit card use, go to http://blog.mycreditspecialist.com, and sign up for a free credit evaluation at http://www.mycreditspecialist.com.